Past And Present
by Kaorin71
Summary: "It seems like just minutes ago, I was holding them. Only minutes ago, I was laughing with them. Now…"   Bound by a mistake that led to a huge disaster, 32 year old Kyoko makes a resolve: to go back to the past and change her fate...
1. Chapter 1

_Kaorin71: Another story! Damn, I'm going to go crazy. I'm writing too much ongoing stories. But that's my imagination running wild and I think that's a good thing. This is my first shot at a sci-fi/romance fanfic so please take care of me, guys! Actually, this story has action and drama plus some humor but I decided to put it under the first two genres. It's been bothering me for at least two months now and I've made a solid plot so I decided to publish it. I've got my math notebook full because of this story! Well, that's life. So R&R, guys! I need to know whether I should continue this or not 'cause I have a lot to work on…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

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"The past and the present are two different things that could never be changed. Or are they?" -Kaorin71

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● **Chapter 1…**

**Tokyo, Japan. Year 2024, December 24. 9:45 p.m.**

_Another cold winter night. It's all too quiet…_

Inside the huge condominium room, the television was on. Somehow, it showed some of the features of the room with its light. A tall, oak shelf stood in the far left wall. There was a silhouette of an old fashioned lamp in one corner. The other pieces of furniture pretty much looked expensive as the plasma screen.

_The air is cold. The atmosphere in this room is humid. The darkness is eerie…_

A loud cough came from the woman sitting on the plush red sofa. Her raspy breathing echoed throughout the dim, empty room. Her faded brownish hair sagged on her shoulders, clearly unkempt and tousled up. Despite the moisture in the air, her skin felt awfully dry, not that she cared. Her nightgown, too big for her body frame, hung on her arms and hips. Her tear-stained face showed no emotion whatsoever. And her lifeless amber eyes stared directly at the screen before her as she watched the reporter announce the news.

"Christmas seems to be coming fast," the young reporter declared enthusiastically. "A lot of snow has piled up ever since the first snowfall last week. All of you folks should get going and shovel up the driveway. Only one day left till Christmas…"

_One day. _A small lump suddenly formed in Kyoko's throat. It was tomorrow again. That horrible day again.

"Yep, it's going to be jolly, alright," she continued blabbering. Do they really pay this woman just to tell stories on TV? Kyoko thought. "And tomorrow's not just Christmas, as everybody knows. It's also the special day of Japan's topnotch actress, Kyoko Mogami!"

This time, Kyoko felt a knot in her stomach as she scoffed. _So what if it's my special day?_

"It's been ten years since the rise of the star. In one day, Kyoko miraculously snatched all the awards away from all the veteran actresses in the industry. And such a beautiful girl also had the voice of a goddess. In total, she had already made fifty albums, having 263 songs all in all. Out of these 263 songs, 100 got in the top thirty, 20 in the top twenty and 57 in the top ten charts. More than half of these became number one in the charts. Not only did her singing turn out to be phenomenal but she also got scouted by America's most popular talent manager, Robert Johnson!"

She continued to rattle on. "On top of that, she had starred in 87 movies as well, all of them becoming box office hits! Those movies had raked in trillions of cash. And her most remembered project is the movie entitled 'Sonnet Of A Broken Heart' wherein she co-starred with the late Tsuruga Ren!"

At the mere mention of the name Tsuruga, Kyoko twitched, feeling her eyes becoming teary once more.

On the television screen, the reporter's face softened, almost grieving. "Speaking of Tsuruga Ren, it is also tomorrow, folks, that we celebrate his fourteenth death anniversary. As we all remember, he died in a horrible massacre during Christmas day years ago by some unknown mafia gang. Along with Tsuruga Ren, let us also pray for the departed souls of Kotonami Kanae, Amamiya Chiori, Saena Mogami..."

Kyoko had enough. She hastily reached for the remote and pushed the off button. The television screen turned black, the room becoming dark and silent once more. Only the sounds of her gentle sobbing and sniffing became apparent in the room.

"Fourteen years ago, I was no one," she whispered, kneeling weakly on the floor. "I was a nobody. Years ago, I had them. I held them. I laughed with them. I loved them."

Her fists tightened into knuckles, crying even louder. "It seems like just minutes ago, I was holding them. Only minutes ago, I was laughing with them. Now…" Kyoko closed her eyes. "That event… It feels awfully fresh in my mind although I know it has been a decade ago since it had happened."

"Now I've reached the top. The top of the industry. They all love me. All of them adore me. It's like I'm being worshipped…"

A gust of cold wind came in the room through the open window. The curtains billowed softly, as if to comfort her. She felt the wind pushing at her back, as if to encourage her to move on. It was such a nice sensation despite her grief.

_Maybe if I saw my past in the sky, it'll look like a beautiful glowing star, _she thought, clutching the hem of her nightgown._ It will sparkle and shine brightly, just as my dream had. Yet, that same past haunts me. I'm tired of seeing it. It's as if I'm watching myself make the same mistake all over again. It hurts even just to think about it._

Standing up, Kyoko wiped some of the tears away from her face as she walked towards the open window. She glanced up to the sky, seeing hundreds of dots glimmering across the horizon. Kyoko smiled weakly, her heart aching as she recalled the memory of that day.

That fateful day.

* * *

**Flashback…**

They were celebrating her party that day. All of them were gathered at a reserved area in the Emerald Hotel which the president especially chose for that party. The sun was still up as they started the celebration. All the special people in her life were there. Even him.

When Kyoko saw him, she thought he looked charming. He seemed so enchanting with that heavenly smile of his. It radiated with warmth and passion, the same feelings she had when she caught a glimpse of him. Kyoko suddenly shook her head as she tore her gaze away from him. Why was she thinking about how good-looking her sempai was?

"Tsuruga-san," she greeted the man, pushing her earlier thoughts away. She wore a cream colored gown, layered elaborately and perfectly. Her hair was dyed back to black just for that occasion and styled back in a way that made her appear enticing. The president made sure that she looked her best at that particular day.

"Happy Birthday, Mogami-san," Ren told her, giving her a large bouquet of exotic flowers. He raised his hand to her face, tracing a small curve down her cheek. "It's an honor to be here with you today."

Somehow, that touch on her skin made her heart thump faster. Her face also reddened at the action he had done. "I-It's a-a-al-so an ho-nor t-to ha-ve you here," Kyoko stammered. Then she looked down to her feet, wanting to avoid eye contact.

"Mogami-san," Ren called her once more, his tone getting serious. It was weird to hear him say her name with that tone. "If you have any time later - tonight - maybe you can meet with me. I have, um, something to tell you."

"Later?" She asked, foolishly innocent. "Uhm, something to talk about?"

Ren nodded at her. "It's very important so please don't refuse."

Hearing him begging at her made her face even hotter. She felt so confused about her feelings and excited at what he was going to tell her. _What is going on with me? _She thought frantically. _I shouldn't be feeling like this!_

"Kyoko," he whispered gently beside her ear, calling her by her name just to catch her attention. Kyoko could've jumped away if not for the fact that Ren was gripping her hands soothingly. His face came closer to hers. "Will you meet me later at the park? You do know where it is."

"Yes, I know where it is," she breathed, looking away. His breath made her skin tingle. It felt good to her, strange enough. She shouldn't be getting intimate with her sempai. Well, half of her believed that. The other half of her, however, wanted to reach out for him and -

Her own thoughts surprised her. _Reach out and what? _Had she been crazy, she could've just forgotten that she even thought of doing illicit things to her sempai. But, no. She was healthy and sane. Yet what the hell made her want to kiss her sempai?

Seeing the display of emotions on Kyoko's face, Ren smiled faintly. However, in his mind, he was trying to calm his emotions down. He was afraid that Kyoko might refuse his offer and then hate him forever. But he just has to take that risk. She's already eighteen, after all. She was already a young adult, as Yashiro described.

He squeezed her hand. "Kyoko. Will you or will you not go?"

Startled, Kyoko nodded vigorously. Better get it over with before she looses her sanity and start acting on her thoughts. "I'll come."

"Good. Then please meet me at the center of the park at exactly four in the afternoon." He let go of her hand, reluctantly. Slowly, he broke the intimacy between them, but not before planting a quick kiss on her cheek. Smiling, he left her, mingling with the crowd.

Kyoko stood there completely still for five whole minutes. One can see her flustered expression from the distance. She couldn't understand herself anymore. His touch excited her. His breath on her skin made her heart skip a beat. Her voice felt like fine silk against her skin. His smile made her heart melt. And him calling her by her given name made her want to hold him. Now, what was wrong with her?

_I'll figure it out later,_ she decided, finally recovering from her shock._ I'll get it over with later._

After making that choice, Kyoko snapped back to reality and went on to hunt for her friends, still confused with her emotions for the actor.

* * *

But that later never came.

Kyoko went back to reality. She felt her face wet with tears. She didn't bother to clean it. Over the past fourteen years, she never cared for herself. It was her fault, after all, why Ren and the others died in that incident.

Everyday, she was bothered with 'What if?' questions. What if she just heeded all those warnings she got? What if she didn't get all her friends involved? What if she acted faster? What if… what if..?

Exhausted, she headed to her bedroom. Nothing much to do anyway. That was when the telephone rang, echoing inside the walls of the creepy room. She made a resolve not to answer it and went on to the bedroom. It wouldn't stop ringing, however. Whoever was calling her sure was persistent. Annoyed, Kyoko walked back to the living room and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Hey," a familiar voice greeted back. Kyoko sighed deeply. "What's wrong? Are you crying?"

She took a piece of tissue form the desk and cleaned her face. "Nothing's wrong. No, I'm not crying. A while ago, I was. Anyway, that's not important. What made you call me at this hour?"

"Yeah, right. If I believe you I might as well pretend not to hear that strain in your voice." He paced back and forth in his room, concern crossing his face. The girl had been keeping a lot of secrets from him. "Really, Kyoko. I know it's hard to forget what happened between the two of us in the past. But I've changed, you know. And now, I'm your manager and I deserve to know the truth."

Groaning, Kyoko touched her temples. "Yes, you're my manager. About the past, I've already forgotten about it. Well, you begged me to forget it." A grunt came from the other line, making Kyoko grin a little. "I bet even if you're still in the business now, I would've stomped you. Either way, I won over you. I'm not letting you forget that, Sho."

A small smirk came to his face. "You're doing a pretty good job about that. But you're steering me away from our conversation. So what's wrong, really? I can feel it in your tone. You've been grieving?"

No point lying to him. "Yeah. It's tomorrow, you know. Do you remember?"

A pause came. Clearing his throat, he said, "Yeah, well, how could I forget it? You almost got killed that day. I would've killed myself if you did die. And…" He trailed off, knowing what he's about to admit will surely hurt himself. "I know you're thinking about _him_."

She nodded. "Ren shouldn't have died. He didn't deserve to. I was supposed to die…"

"Okay, I get it," Sho interrupted. He knew Kyoko was still hurt over the death of that bastard (he still won't give up on his feelings for Kyoko). But once she gets started, there's no telling when she'll finish. "There's no way to change the past. That's what they say. But actually, there is."

"What?" Curious and surprised, Kyoko suddenly paid attention to what he said. "A way to change the past?"

"Look. It sounds crazy but believe me, there is a way."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. There was a way to right her mistakes. A way to turn all of this around. She can still fix everything. And she could probably bring all of them back. Kanae. Saena, Chiori, Yashiro, Rin. Especially Ren.

"Tell me," she urged Sho. "Tell me how it is. Tell me how I can go back."

"Wait. Listen first." Sho said, a little glad that Kyoko was interested. "I have a friend who's here in Japan now. He's an American sort-of scientist but he's here to visit for a short while. His name is Taichi Hikari, a physics professor at Harvard. You see, he has this gadget called the time traveling watch. He claims that it can send a person back in time not exceeding forty years."

"Does it work?"

"I don't know for sure," Sho admitted pathetically. "But there's nothing to lose, right? There's no harm in trying. I phoned him just now and he said he'll be glad to lend you his invention. His place isn't very far. It's probably around eleven blocks away. If you want, I'll fetch you. I'm ready to go anytime. Are you in this?"

_Time traveling watch, huh. _Kyoko thought of the possibility. All these years, she had thought of wanting to go back and change everything to avoid the accident. The massacre. Now, opportunity was knocking at her door. Will she take it? Or not?

"Kyoko," he called from the other line. "Are you still there? Do you want to go or not?"

After a long, agonizing pause, Kyoko stated, "I'll go."


	2. Chapter 2

_Kaorin71: So, this is chapter two. It's kinda boring, I know. But I'll change that in the next chapters, I hope. This is just a story for me to work on while I try to get the inspiration to continue my other story, 'Ocean Of Tears' so I don't know if I'll be continuing this... Another Kyoko*Sho scene, with an extra. Please R&R (for me to know if anyone likes this or not)!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat…

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"The past and the present are two different things that could never be changed. Or are they?" -Kaorin71

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● **Chapter 2…**

**Tokyo, Japan. Year 2024, December 24. 10:13 p.m.**

"I'll be there in a minute."

That statement was the only thing needed to get Kyoko going. After she banged the receiver down, she almost immediately pulled her nightgown off and changed into the first clothing she could get her hands on, which happened to be her very sexy dress. It fitted her fine, showing off her curves and clinging unto her slender frame. Next, she went into her room, snatched her purse from the cabinet and then went outside without bothering to wear any make-up.

Her hands scooped the condominium keys from the coffee table as she gracefully walked out of her condo room. She made sure she locked her door after which she headed for the elevator. Going inside the lift, she pushed the button for the ground floor.

There was a loud ringing sound as she arrived at the lobby. Kyoko hastily walked out of the elevator, to the lobby then went outside. Her eyes widened as she saw the blonde, lean man by the doorway. Of course, she quickly brushed her shock away and then went up to him.

Sho peeked behind him, seeing Kyoko's sexy figure coming. "What's up with that? Are we going to a professor's house or to a bar?"

Scowling, Kyoko practically dragged him outside, into the cool breeze of the night. "The dress doesn't matter. Let's get there quick."

He took his hand from her tight grip, groaning. "At other times, I would've been happy to have you with me in that hot dress. I would've appreciated it more if you didn't try to break the bones on my hands, you know."

Kyoko smiled mischievously. "Don't worry. I didn't try hard enough."

She strode of towards the parking lot. Sho grumbled a little before following her. He led her to the far end of the lot. Then he took out his car keys and opened the door of his sleek new Porsche. It was new model so it cost him a great deal of money. Somehow, he felt a little smug when he saw Kyoko admiring his new and super expensive car.

He held the door open for her as she climbed in. Automatically, he closed the door, made his way to the other side and opened the door to the driver's seat and sank down on the cushion. Glancing towards Kyoko, he saw her resting comfortably on the chair, her eyes closed.

"You like it?" Sho asked, putting the seatbelt on.

Smirking, she did the same. "It's nice and cozy. You made a good choice, my manager."

Starting the car, he smirked back. "Only the best for you."

Kyoko watched in fascination how he worked the gears. Sho never really made an effort to learn how to drive. She observed how he shifted the gears as the car moved backward then shifted again as they sped forward. When they met a turn, she saw him skillfully manning the steering wheel although Kyoko turned away when Sho saw her observing him.

Sighing, he reached forward and tuned in to the radio. He turned the dial until he got what he wanted. The song played and Kyoko sprang up from her seat, listening to the familiar lyrics of the music.

"You know the song?"

"Dream Star," she sweetly chorused, recalling the memory the song gave her. "It used to be my favorite song."

"You don't like it now?"

She bobbed her head like a child. "Yep. I started disliking everything I thought I liked after he died."

No more questions were asked. They drove in serene silence, wind hitting their faces. The car was one of those types which had no roof. That's what she observed. It wouldn't be nice to drive this in the rain. But right now, with the refreshing midnight breeze splashing on their faces, the ride kind of relaxed her and gave her a high sensation. The view of the starry sky also seemed inviting.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sho effortlessly maneuvering the wheel, a calm expression on his face. _He really has changed ever since that day,_ Kyoko thought. _From the bastard he used to be to the civilized and appropriate person he is now._

Yes, she can remember that day vividly. The day she woke up in the hospital with Sho by her side.

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**Flashback…**

Her eyes fluttered open in fright. She sat from the bed, her chest heaving up and down. Sweat covered her body, making her clothes stick to her skin. Her hands felt clammy. She raised her hands slowly, covering her face with them.

The images were still clear in her mind. The mafia men moving in. Their leader scorned her. The look her friends had when they arrived at that abandoned warehouse. Then they began fighting. Blood had been everywhere she looked, covering almost everything in sight. Her hands. Her face, her body, all covered with dark red blood. She could remember the slimy feel of the fluid. Worst of all, the blood was _his_. _His_ blood on her.

"Kyoko. Kyoko, snap out of it!" Sho nearly screamed, shaking her shoulders hard. He had been struggling to bring her back to reality for quite a while now. Breathing heavily, he sighed in relief as Kyoko removed her hands from her face.

She looked at Sho's red face. Then she scanned the room. The white ceiling. A nurse watching with a concerned expression by the side. The nauseating smell of the antiseptics. This was not the warehouse. She was in the hospital.

"Whe-where am I?" she whimpered slightly, the memories of the horrible event still vivid in her thoughts.

He leaned closer to the bed, wiping some tears from her eyes."You're in the hospital now, Kyoko. Tsuruga called me to go to that place. When I saw you, I just carried you here. Don't worry now. No one's going to hurt you here."

"Tsuruga-san," Kyoko said to herself. She turned to Sho. "Where is he? And the others? Where are they?"

Sho looked at her, shaking his head painfully. He couldn't bear tell her what had happened to them. It will surely devastate her. He knew more than anyone else that the girl had strong feelings for the actor although he denied it most of the time. Now, how could he possibly tell her what had been the fate of that person knowing that it would only hurt her more?

Kyoko's heart ached. The silent treatment Sho was giving her didn't reassure her. She had to know what happened after she blacked out. Surely, her strong sempai would survive. Tsuruga would survive. Because if he didn't, Kyoko couldn't even think about it. "What? What happened? Did okaa-san see you? Is she in this hospital? Is Moko-san awake now? How about Amamiya-san? And Tsuruga-san -"

"That's enough," Sho told her loudly. He looked away, letting Kyoko see an expression on his face which can only be called grief. "Kyoko, I don't know how I'll say it. It just happened, you see. Don't blame yourself about what happened. Because… they didn't make it."

"What are you -" At first, she didn't get what he said. Then, as the pieces of the puzzle fit together, she understood. The grief on his face. They didn't make it. The silence from Sho. Not answering her question. "No," she whispered, eyes brimming with hot tears. "You're wrong."

"Kyoko, please -"

"You're wrong!" she wailed, trying to stand up. Sho gripped her shoulders and pushed her down to the bed. Still, Kyoko cried, squirming away from his grasp. "That's a lie. How can they be gone? Tsuruga-san is strong. He won't die. He can't. He promised me."

This time, Sho took her hands to him, squeezing them softly to calm her. "Listen. No matter how strong that Tsuruga is, no normal person in this world could live after being shot five times on the chest. To tell you the truth, he still made it to the Emergency Room. But..." He choked, struggling to find the right words. "... they couldn't remove the bullets in time. And his extreme blood loss weakened his body. I'm sorry."

Doubting his words, she mumbled, "That's not true. They lied. He didn't die. How could he? I held him in my arms. He told me that he would be fine. Tsuruga-san said that. Told me not to worry." Another batch of tears spilled over her face. "He lied to me. He broke his promise."

Sho, seeing her shaking and crying, took her in his arms. Maybe Kyoko will punch her later for doing that but he didn't give a damn. What mattered to him now was the girl he loved was depressed and he's going to comfort her. Especially now that Tsuruga Ren, her protector, is gone. Now, he has to take over that role. He had to protect her. And he definitely will.

Even if it kills him…

* * *

"Oi," Sho suddenly said, peering at the actress. "You're crying. What are you thinking about?"

She smiled faintly, feeling the breezed touch her delicate skin. "I remember that moment. You know, in the hospital. When you told me that they're all dead. Then you promised that you'd quit singing and become my fulltime protector."

He grunted, blushing slightly. "I don't want to hear that from you."

"Yeah?" She comfortably leaned back. "Which reminds me, you embraced me, didn't you?" Turning to him, she said, "I forgot to punch you for taking advantage of that time to hug me. But thank you for the reassurance."

"Sure. Whatever."

"You're being a bastard again. Don't worry. When I go back to the past, I'll tell my eighteen year old self to punch you the next time she sees you. That'll be the appropriate punishment for your past action, my manager."

Time flew by fast after their little conversation. They soon arrived in a complex neighborhood. The houses in the area looked elite and very elaborate. Sho drove smoothly along the road, turning more often every now and then. Each time they turn to a new road, Sho would carefully observe the shadows of the structures. Whether he was being careful or paranoid, Kyoko didn't know.

Finally, he slowed the car down. Then they stopped in front of a white two-storey house. Kyoko marveled at the beautiful structure as she stepped out of the car. She had never seen any house as wonderfully made as this. Sho stepped beside her, grinning casually.

"The guy's house is astounding, don't you think?"

"Yeah," she agreed, hypnotized by the appearance of the house. "It's amazing. I wish I had a house like this."

"Well, inquire to him about it," Sho told her, walking up to the front porch. "He designed this house himself. A real genius."

Kyoko's eyes widened even more at this information. _He made that house? Then it's no wonder he could also make a time traveling device._

Sho was ringing the doorbell as she caught up to him. He scratched his head while waiting for it to open.

"Maybe he's asleep," she pointed out. "It is rather late."

He shook his head. "I told you. I called him before we got here. He's just probably in his basement inventing other gizmos." He yawned loudly and suddenly, Kyoko became guilty of dragging him out this late. "You'd think he's a nerd when you don't know him yet. But actually, he's a jolly fellow. Almost like a normal person. You two will probably get along properly."

Just as Kyoko was about to reply to him, the door swung open. A tall, well-built man in his thirties came out. His hair was matted down a bit with some of his grayish hair sticking out. He wore a very excited expression as opposed to the eerie darkness of nighttime.

His mysterious violet eyes darted to Sho. His lips then curved into a small smile, recognizing his friend.

"Long time no see," he said, shaking hands with Sho. Kyoko was thinking that they'd hug each other just like when women meet up. Then again, this action was more appropriate for them. "How are you doing these days? Still singing?"

"Nah. I quit that. I became a talent manager." He took his hand away and draped his arm on Kyoko's shoulder. Of course, still not accustomed to being touched, she stiffened. "This here is my friend, Mogami Kyoko. I told her about you. I'm her manager, by the way."

His smile faded for a second as his gaze fell on Kyoko. He then regained his composure. "Hello there, Mogami-san. I'm Taichi Hikari, as Sho might have told you. In fact, he told me a lot about you. You know, he really likes you. He says -"

Taichi stopped short when Sho elbowed him. Kyoko took that chance to shove his arm away from her shoulder. She moved away from him lest he tries to touch her once more.

The professor laughed, seeing his friend's flustered expression. "If you want to appease a girl, don't do anything that makes her uncomfortable."

Sho glared daggers at him. Then he looked away. "Just give us what we came here for."

"Ah. The time traveling watch, isn't it?" His eyes were still locked unto Kyoko. Somehow, the actress felt like an exhibit in a museum. Taichi held a hand out for her. "Please don't hesitate to come in and I'll lead the way."

Being the refined lady she is, Kyoko started to accept his hand. Sho, however, took her hand before she could even react. He quickly went into the house with her. Taichi just sighed at the childish reaction he made.

Kyoko thought she wouldn't be more surprised as when she saw the exterior appearance of the house. But when they have gotten in, she was astonished at the uniqueness of its structure. It was a place fit for a genius. It had the form similar to the ones she saw in the most expensive hotels in Japan.

The living room was the first thing she saw. It, like the exterior of the house, was painted with a whitewash color. There were two small sofas with one big sofa in between at the center of the room, all of them cream colored. There was this big plasma screen TV attached to the left wall of the room. Then there were the other pieces of furniture. A futuristic-like desk with matching chairs. The silken curtains billowed softly at the windows. And at their right, a staircase twisting upwards caught attention.

"Splendid, huh?" Taichi laughed, amused by the actress's expression. "But that's nothing. All my gadgets are downstairs."

"Then let's go down," Sho told him, still gripping Kyoko's hands.

Taichi held up a hand. "Wait here."

He ran up to the opposite side of the room. Then he opened what seemed like a glistening metal box attached to the wall. Inside the metallic box, they saw a lever of some sort. Grabbing the lever with both hands, Taichi slowly flipped it down.

A sudden, loud humming filled the entire place. The walls vibrated violently, almost seeming like there was an earthquake. The floor beneath them also shook. Then, to their left, a sound of what appeared to be a lock opening was heard. That floor sank down and two metal plates separated, revealing a dark passage leading downstairs.

Kyoko stood baffled for a moment. "That's awesome!"

The professor proceeded to the stairway. "Your reactions are amusing, Mogami-san. Please proceed with caution. I haven't installed the lights yet." He stared at Sho. "Be a gentleman and guide her downstairs. And be sure to grip the banister to keep from falling down."

His figure disappeared as he went down the passage. Kyoko and Sho looked at each other before they followed. She went in first with her manager tailing behind her. The staircase twisted down, down and down towards the basement.

The darkness seemed to swallow them. The silence around them was deafening. Only the soft thudding of their feet could be heard.

Sho almost slipped. He grumbled some curses softly. Kyoko, hearing her manager's foul words, punched him lightly. Another batch of curses followed. The actress punched him again. This time, he did shut up.

"Okay, we're here," Taichi announced, flipping a switch to open the lights.

The darkness cleared up, revealing a wide, white room. Just like the room upstairs, it had a modern touch on it. The only difference was that this room was a bit messier than the rest and metal was clattered around the area.

"Sorry about the mess. I haven't cleaned up yet." He laughed some. "C'mon. The device is that way. I'll show you."

They crossed the room in a matter of seconds. They went left after that, heading directly at a long table with a capsule like container on it.

He picked the red capsule up, opened it and took out a device which resembled a normal watch. "This is the time traveling watch I'm talking about. It looks like an ordinary watch but it's way different. Take this button for example." Taichi pointed to the button attached below the watch's face. "This is the activator. When you push this, it will take you back to the time you entered on this watch."

"How does it work?" asked Kyoko eagerly.

"As you see, this is the face of the watch. But you can flip this up." He demonstrated the procedure to the two. "Under it, one might mistake the appearance for a digital watch. Well, it's not. There are three dials here. This is where you enter the month, day and year. Then if you want to go back at a specific time of a day, under those dials is this mini watch with smaller hands. You can change the position of the hands by turning the knobs at the side." Again, he showed them how it was done.

"Wait. Isn't that for the one on top?" Sho asked.

"It's for both. But when you lift the top off, it will only work for the one at the bottom." Taichi frowned then gently fitted the watch unto Kyoko's wrist. "Look, it's kind of confusing but I'm sure it works. I've tried it."

The watch fitted on her wrist comfortably. Kyoko observed it for a while, looking for something that would make different than the other watches. Besides the extra knobs and the other watch under the original one, nothing seems to be extraordinary.

"Try it. Enter the date you want to go back to," he gestured to her. Kyoko did as she was told, entering the date she wanted. December 11, 2010.

Taichi nodded, saying, "Good. Now turned the knob at the desired time."

She followed again. 1:46 p.m.

"That's it?" she asked, surprised how easy to operate it was.

"Yep. That's pretty much everything. After entering those, just press the activator. And, oh, by the way, I almost forgot to tell you this one. There's another button right above the face of the watch. That blue button is there for a special purpose. If you want to go back to the present time - this timeline - just press that twice. It won't work if you would only press it once."

Scratching his head, he continued, "You can virtually come back anytime you want. Whether it's day or night, trust me, you can. I designed it like that."

Kyoko nodded once more, not taking her eyes off the watch. She was about to press the activator - the red button - but then stopped.

"Go on. You can." Taichi draped an arm over Sho's shoulder. "I'll take care of your manager here. Don't worry about your jobs. We'll cover up for you. Sho's brilliant at that. He's great at conning others."

The manager grimaced at him. But to Kyoko, he showed an expression of approval. Even though he disliked the idea of her going back to revive Ren, he can't stop her. He'd rather see her happy with another man than to have her with him wearing a look of pure grief.

Grateful that Sho understood her, Kyoko smiled faintly. She exhaled deeply, closing her eyes. Then she slowly opened them, revealing a determined look in her eyes. Her hand was raised; her finger darted towards the button.

And she pressed it.

Everything went silent. Nothing came at first. After a few seconds, Kyoko heard a weak hum from the device. It vibrated, making her whole body shake. A light shone brightly on the face of the watch, blinding her momentarily.

Her body felt light. She raised her hands to her face. Shock filled her when she noticed the transparency of her body, like she was disappearing. It almost seemed like she was a ghost. Slowly, bit by bit, her fingers vanished. Next came her hand. Then her arm.

The place seemed to dim as her body vanished in the air. She couldn't see anything right. What she knew, though, was that she saw Taichi's triumphant face next to Sho's concerned one. Kyoko tried to wave her hand to bid goodbye. Then did she remember that her hands had faded away.

Red splotches filled her view. It hurt her eyes. Who knew time traveling was painful?

In her last few seconds in the present, she heard one statement in the background. A statement she was sure to have come from Sho's mouth.

"Be careful in the past, you idiot."

A small grin played on her lips. "Maybe I will, Shoutaro."

Then everything became black.

* * *

_About the last chapter… The underlined words there were Emerald Hotel. I'm not sure if there's such a hotel in real life. If there is then it's not the same one. I just invented that hotel so it might be of pure coincidence… Again, R&R, guys!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Kaorin71: Okay guys, I'm sorry but this chapter has no Kyoko*Ren scenes just yet. It's just about, well, Kyoko and another flashback that might give you a clue on about what happened. And for those reading My Cat Princess, I don't think I'll be able to upload in two weeks so I'm sorry. Gomen! Oh yeah, that quote below is just a product of my randomness. I'm not even sure if that's true but I decided to post it in every chapter anyway. Please R&R!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat (but I'm working on it… :D)

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_

"The past and the present are two different things that could never be changed. Or are they?" -Kaorin71

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● **Chapter 3…**

**Tokyo, Japan. Year 2010, December 11. 1:46 p.m. At the park near LME.**

_Ugh. My arm hurts. Everything hurts. It feels like someone hauled my whole body off a cliff. What the hell did I do?_

A gentle breeze tickled her. Her brownish hair swayed with the carefree wind. Her ears picked up sounds of birds chirping in the area. She also heard a lot of vehicles driving by. A loud noise of what seemed to be people talking disturbed her.

_I don't remember my bed being this hard. It almost feels metallic. And I don't remember sleeping at all. The noise here is too deafening. Are there people in my room? Am I really in my room? Why does it feel like I'm outside?_

The thudding of feet on the asphalt interrupted her thoughts. She felt something dropping on her hips. A soft object brushed against her neck. Her body suddenly felt burdened. It was as if something was on top of her.

_What's this now? Wha - oh my God. Did I do something illicit? Did someone get me drunk then stripped me? No, it can't be. But it feels like I have no clothes on. Did Sho do this? Man, I'm going to murder him. Wait 'till he finds out what I'm going to do to him... _

Sho's name seemed to have triggered something inside Kyoko's thoughts. Now she remembered it. The news about her, the reporter's grief, her remorse, the call from her manager, their moonlit drive, the astounding house, the watch, etc… Last night was something she should not have forgotten. But she did and after mentioning her manager's name, everything came back to her.

Kyoko's body jolted up, scaring the birds who have mistaken her as their nest. She inspected her body. Nope. No one seemed to have taken advantage of her. She felt the hem of her silky red dress. The reason why she thought she was naked was because the dress was too tight on her body. A feather was stuck near her neck which was probably what was tickling her earlier.

She breathed out a sigh of relief. She was still alive. She wasn't drunk or raped or anything. Her body was sore for an unknown reason. Maybe because of the pressure brought about by time traveling. She wasn't transparent as a ghost anymore. Her mind functioned well. She was still dressed although she looked more like a prostitute in it. And when she glanced at her wrist, the watch was there.

It worked. The watch brought her back. She went back fourteen years in time.

Smiling to herself, she looked around. By just glancing at the place, she could tell she was no longer in the present. There were no posters of her in sight. That was the biggest difference she could see. She did feel a little bewildered by the fact that no one was taking notice of her.

Sighing, she stood up. Kyoko managed to fix the creases on her dress. Then she reached out and arranged her hair. It was waist long as opposed to her past hairstyle which barely touched her two shoulders. Taking out her handkerchief, she wiped away any dirt that might've stuck to her face while she was asleep. An actress has to look her best always, even in a world where she still didn't exist.

People finally took notice of her when she began walking in the streets. One thing about her that enticed them was the way she carried herself. She was so full of confidence and spirit. And her beautiful face also interested the men. Her fair looks plus her perfectly curved figure equaled to men following her like puppies. She felt a little smug when all the men she passed had taken a liking to her.

_I wonder what my eighteen year old self will say when I take all her admirers away,_ Kyoko thought while grinning enchantingly.

A grumbling sound made Kyoko halt. Both hands shot to her stomach. Now she was hungry. Kyoko groaned a little. How long had it been since she last ate? Her mind told her it was just last night yet her body told her it was a long time ago.

She changed direction. Instead of heading to LME - which was where she was first headed - she went to a nearby restaurant. She knew the place since that was where she and the other actresses commonly ate during their break time. She didn't need to worry about the money. Countless jobs given to her made her a multi-billionaire quite fast.

The grumbling continued. Kyoko tried to squeeze her stomach to keep it from making such noise. Then she entered the restaurant, head held up high. Her gracefulness and the magnificent aura around her immediately caught the attention of the stars in the place. That kind of pleased her. She plastered an angelic smile on her face as she smoothly sat down on a vacant chair. Kyoko eagerly grabbed a menu off the table.

A waiter almost immediately came to her service. He was a fine looking man in his twenties, Kyoko guessed. His black hair bobbed a bit as he smiled at the woman. "May I take your order?"

Setting the menu down, she smiled back at the waiter. She watched as his expression changed from simply glad to ecstasy. "Yes. I would like to order whatever's available. And bring me some refreshing drinks, too."

"Whatever's available?" asked the waiter. "Ma'am, you need to specify which food you would want to order."

"Alright. Then would you please choose for me?" Kyoko asked as sweet as possible. "I'll take whatever you give me as long as it's good."

"Uhm, okay. If that's what you wish." He wrote it down while looking at the actress. Reluctantly, he walked away from the table.

_Perfect,_ Kyoko thought happily. _If I continue like this, I'll reach LME in no time, although I don't think they'll believe me I do tell them that I'm from the future. To them, I'll sound like a whacked out psycho. _

Thinking intently, Kyoko tapped her fingers gently on top of the table. _So now, I have to think of a different approach. Something that won't give them the conclusion that I'm some crazy prostitute who just escaped the mental hospital this morning._

"Excuse me?"

The voice almost had her jumping. But Kyoko kept her composure, careful not to slip up. When she glanced up to see who it was, she saw a man in his late twenties observing her. Judging from the way he studied Kyoko, he might be a talent scout for some agency looking for new recruits.

"May I have a seat beside you?" he gently asked. She nodded in approval and soon enough, the man had taken a seat next to her. He cleared his throat, preparing to say something. "So, are you from here?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm just having a look around place. I sort of got hungry and went here for a bite to eat."

"Ah, so you're foreign?" he inquired.

"No, I'm 100% Japanese. I'm from the southern region, you know." Kyoko pretended to draw a map in the air. "I think it's Osaka. I never really got the name right. Anyway, this is the first time I've been here to Tokyo. I grew up in a very remote place."

He nodded. Kyoko saw him staring at her clothes curiously. She quickly explained so as not to give him the wrong idea. "Sorry if the dress is disturbing you. I borrowed it from a cousin of mine. It's kind of revealing, I admit. But I'm sticking to it until I buy some other clothing." She waved her hand around her. "Some people just keep getting the wrong idea."

His hands shot up defensively. "Oh, no. I'm not thinking about anything like that. I'm just kind of surprised when you said you were from the province. On first look, anyone could mistake you for a popular icon."

"Well, my mother once told me that I had the face for showbiz. I never really thought about it seriously."

The conversation stopped for a second when Kyoko's order arrived. Turns out the waiter couldn't think of getting her anything better than a chicken sandwich. Still, she accepted it along with the cool glass of cola.

Kyoko offered some for the man. "You want some?"

The man politely refused her generous offer. After that, the waiter went away, leaving the two of them to continue their conversation.

He cleared his throat again. "You definitely look like an idol. You have the face and the body. I'm sure you also have the talent."

Kyoko chuckled. "Thanks for that complement. Hardly anyone notices me nowadays."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw a gleam of fascination in his eyes. Satisfaction overwhelmed her. This act deserves an Oscar. Yep. This was her Plan B. Since she can't just barge in LME, she has to get invited by someone from the agency. And that someone is right here in front of her.

Taking out his wallet, he said, "I forgot to tell you. My name is Shido Abe. I'm a talent scout from Akatoki agency."

Kyoko almost choked on her chicken sandwich. "Akatoki?"

He nodded proudly. "Akatoki is the second largest agency here in Japan. We have a lot of topnotch actors and actresses there. Maybe you've already heard of our latest star, Sho Fuwa. He's the company's pride. If you join us, you'll be famous in no time."

"Uhm…" Kyoko mentally kicked herself. Damn. She forgot to confirm first if this man was from LME. If she joins Akatoki, she won't be able to see her eighteen year old self. Then again, she could meet up with the bastard eighteen year old Sho and punch him in the face. She shook her head. No. Even if the chance to punch Sho is a once in a lifetime opportunity, she can't join this agency. She has to get into LME. There's no time to fool around.

She faked a cough, hoping to distract him. "I haven't really liked the idea of entering showbiz. To tell you the truth, it's nerve racking. Being an actress means you'll have to work until your body collapses. There'll be countless issues to deal with. It's a job too tiring for dear me."

"It's not that tiring," he told her. He won't give up that easily. "If you enter Akatoki, all your necessities will be met. You will feel rather comfortable. Your career will flourish at unexpected intervals. In one night, you will rise to stardom. It's a hard chance to pass up."

Standing up, Kyoko shook her head once more. "I'm really sorry if I made you hope too high. I'm not interested in the job. In the future, maybe I will. But right now, I'm completely contented with my normal everyday life."

She swallowed the remaining food and drank the cola. Wiping her mouth, she picked up her purse. Turning to him, she said, "Goodbye, Abe-san."

Flashing one last smile to the bewildered man, Kyoko strode off, exiting the restaurant before he could even complain. She stopped short as she remembered her bill but then waved it away. They can just charge it to that Shido Abe. No problem with that.

Without any further hesitation, Kyoko quickly headed to LME. She had to warn herself - the present Kyoko - about the challenge that's going to happen. Someone warned her about that incident fourteen years ago yet she didn't listen. She stubbornly refused her help. And because she refused, a lot of people died. People important to her.

She could remember everything so clearly, as if it just happened earlier. That conversation she had with Kanae.

* * *

**Flashback…**

As soon as they had reached the room, Kanae looked outside then slammed the door shut. She grumbled some more before she sat down on the wooden chair. Kyoko took the other chair and sat beside her best friend.

"Moko-san…"

"Don't start again," Kanae warned her, burying her face into her palms. She didn't want to get pissed off. Well, she was generally mad already. But if Kyoko dared to continue with her sentence, it would've made her blow the fuse. "We've talked about this a hundred times already."

Kyoko shuffled nervously on her seat. "Actually, we've only talked about it for seventy-six times."

Kanae shot a bewildered look at her. "Why the hell are you even counting? And I don't care. We've gone through this already."

"But," she started, unable to stay still. "Do you think I should've listened to her? I mean, she looked quite serious. She didn't seem to be lying to me. She seemed to be worried about my welfare. Maybe I should've considered what she had to say."

"No," Kanae firmly declared. "You did nothing wrong. I'm sure she was just faking it. Those tears probably aren't genuine. Like you said, she disappeared then now here she is, popping out of nowhere and telling you that you're a target of some crazed up mafia. She's just pretending. Maybe she even assembled some of her crazy friends to act as the mafia gang. Who knows how that woman thinks?"

"I don't know anymore," Kyoko told her, unsure of herself. "I want to believe her but it's just too impossible. I want to listen to her but I lost the will to do so. All my respect has vanished. I'm just thinking if that mafia would also target you and the others."

Her friend's expression softened a bit. "Kyoko…"

"I don't want to get you in trouble," she told her solemnly. "You're my best friend. I don't want you to get involver in a mess I'm responsible for. Also the others. I know I shouldn't trust her but… what if that information is real? What if it is real and I don't heed it? Everything will go wrong if that happens. Everyone I treasure will get harmed."

Seeing her close to tears, Kanae gripped her shoulders soothingly. "Listen. Everything will turn out alright. Whatever you decide in, it's going to be for the best. So what if you don't heed her? Even if something horrible does happen, it will eventually clear up. It'll be alright no matter which side you choose. I'll support you whenever you need it. And I'm sure the others will do the same. Especially Tsuruga."

Despite the serious atmosphere around them, Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'especially Tsuruga-san'?"

"The man loves you. Damn it, Kyoko, you're so dense. He practically desires you. Everything about you excites him. I wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly snatches you away from me and do something immoral to you. Are you blind? Can't you see it in his face at all?" This was what Kanae wanted to reply to her friend. She was somehow disappointed. If up to that moment Kyoko still didn't know about the man's feelings then that means Ren Tsuruga hasn't made a move yet. If he won't make a move soon then Kanae wouldn't give her to him that easily.

Since she can't just blurt out to Kyoko what Ren feels about her, she said, "Tsuruga will especially support you because you're his kouhai. He's your sempai, remember? He cares for you and I'm sure he'll be as worried as I am when he hears about this."

"Ah," she mumbled. Her face was hot. She didn't know why but when Kanae told her that Ren cared for her, her heart skipped a beat. What was with this weird reaction? "Thanks for worrying about me, Moko-san."

Kanae blushed a little at her friend's complement. She mumbled softly, "Sure. What are friends for?"

Kyoko jumped up from her seat, all traces of worry disappearing. "Say, why don't we go out to celebrate, Moko-san? Let's invite Maria-chan and Amamiya-san, too. And also Tsuruga-san and Yashiro-san. It's going to be fun."

"Hell, no," Kanae quickly refused. Being with Kyoko was one thing. But being with Kyoko and have other people watch them do embarrassing feats? No. No way in hell will she accept that plan. "I don't want to go if there are others coming."

"Eh?" Kyoko pouted. "Why not? C'mon, it's fun to be with other people. Please?"

Kanae grumbled loudly. After a few agonizing minutes, she finally accepted defeat. She just can't refuse her especially when she has that cute look on. "Fine, fine. But just this time, okay?"

Tears of joy streamed down Kyoko's face. "Thanks a lot, Moko-san! You're the best best friend in the world! You're so nice and beautiful -"

Suddenly, Kanae stood up, hugging Kyoko. This was the only thing she thought that could get Kyoko to quiet down. Kanae flinched when she responded to the hug.

Kanae sighed. She just can't refuse this person for an unknown reason. Probably because this girl was her first and only true friend.

She smiled to herself. "Thanks a lot, Kyoko."

"What?" asked Kyoko, burying her face unto Kanae's shoulders. "Did you just say something?"

Shoving her away lightly, Kanae reverted back to her old self. "No, it's nothing. Now come on. I bet they're all waiting for you at the set. Your first movie is a success, after all. It's a big deal. Especially since your partner is the famous Tsuruga Ren."

Nodding energetically, Kyoko happily bounded out the room. Smiling faintly, Kanae followed her. There were still tons of things she couldn't understand about Kyoko. But she knew one sure truth about her: she was the most important person to her at the moment.

* * *

Kyoko sighed, nauseated at the memory she recalled. Those were the days when she still had her best friend beside her. Those days when they were still complete. Now, they're all gone from her life.

Not paying attention to where she was walking, Kyoko suddenly bumped someone. She slowly stumbled back, recovering before she fell down. The man she bumped groaned. Reverting back to her polite self, she started to apologize.

"I'm so -" Kyoko stopped short, her glance falling on the man she had encountered.

The man stood up, also recovering from the bump. He adjusted his glasses to his face when he noticed Kyoko's surprised look. He squinted at her figure, a bit attracted to her beauty. "Um, miss? Is there a problem?"

"Yashiro-san?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Kaorin71: So I'm back from my vacation and I posted this. I'm still halfway through the other chapter for my other story so I couldn't post it yet (My Cat Princess)… So I hope you guys would R&R still!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat…

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"The past and the present are two different things that could never be changed. Or are they?" -Kaorin71

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● **Chapter 4…**

**Tokyo, Japan. Year 2010, December 11. 2:07 p.m. At the corner block beside LME.**

"Yashiro-san?"

Blatant surprise covered Kyoko's face, despite her struggle to keep her façade on. It was almost like seeing a ghost in front of her. For years, she had been grieving for the souls of her important friends. Now, encountering Yashiro seemed surreal.

That man stood there, an expression which looked like confusion was on his face. Did he know this woman? Although, he had to admit, he would really love to know who this elegant and enchanting woman in front of him is.

"Miss, do I know you? From work or somewhere else?" Yashiro asked, trying to clarify things.

Immediately, Kyoko snapped back to the present, putting on a confident look once more. "Ah, no. I'm sorry about that. I was just shocked to see the manager of the famous Tsuruga Ren walking around Tokyo so casually. I just thought maybe the actor was with you."

He just nodded. So the girl was a Tsuruga fan. Too bad, though her knowledge of his name was a surprise. Hardly anyone who's a fan of Ren's cares about him. Most of the time, he seems like a ghost hovering around the actor. Maybe he had some chance with this one.

Quickly, he continued the conversation. "So are you an actress here in LME? Or maybe a hired model for a shoot?"

Kyoko laughed a little. "Me? An actress? Heavens, no. I was only taking a tour around the area. Tokyo is such a sight to see for us country dwellers." She faked a cough, just like what she did with the Akatoki talent scout. "Geez. Hardly anyone pays me any attention in our place. Here, people mistake me for an actress."

"You're not an actress?" Yashiro asked, quite amazed that a girl of this beauty hasn't been scouted by any acting agency.

She shook her head in denial. "I'm just the typical Japanese girl… who happens to look like some whore."

"Oh, no. In fact, you look incredulous in that outfit," he chuckled.

Kyoko froze. Was this person an impostor? Because Ren's manager would never hit on her… oh. She wasn't Kyoko here. This was the past. Here, she exists in another form. She was almost a nobody here if not for her charisma and elegance. Then again, maybe her sophisticated charm had done something to the poor manager, making him like her.

Fumbling with his glasses, Yashiro asked once more, "Are you interested in entering showbiz then?"

_You hit the nail on the head,_ Kyoko thought. Maybe she _will_ flirt with him for a while. "Well, I had been thinking of the possibility. I, honestly, would love to have a try on it. But sadly, I have no money for acting lessons."

"You don't need any of that," he told her. "Just audition for a commercial or a drama role. I'm sure, with your beauty and poise, the judges won't be able to take their eyes off you. And, who knows? Perhaps the president will take interest in you and spare you the acting fees."

"That can happen," she slowly said, waving her hand around. "Though not all things go as planned."

Yashiro shrugged. "There's nothing to lose if you try. Which reminds me. There's an open auditions for a role in an afternoon drama going on right this minute. If we manage to go there now, you can still sneak in."

Kyoko automatically raised her hands up defensively. "That would be nice of you but I don't think it would be fair if I would just barge in at the last minute and demand entry to the audition." And she meant that judging by the firm tone on her voice.

She could see the bewildered expression Yashiro had. Did he really like her that much? Kyoko's skin crawled at the very thought. No way can she date the manager of her sempai - rather, her heart's dear one. Besides, right then she was five whole years older than him. That would be wrong. Way wrong.

Finally, he made a decision. "Fine. How about this: we go over there and I'll show you to the judges and I'll ask them if they'll allow you to compete. If they ask for a demonstration, you should do it. Now, if even one judge decides not to allow you, we'll go away. That's probably fine enough for you. Do you agree to it?"

"Well…" Hell, why was she acting like she doesn't want to when she's all itching to go? "Sure. Why not."

Delight crossed the man's features. Whether to be happy or appalled, Kyoko didn't know. And she didn't dwell on this, either. Her mind was focused on one thing: to get ready for her act. It almost made her laugh just feeling how nervous she was. Why was the number one actress of future Japan nervous about an amateur contest? She hypothesized that it was another effect of time traveling.

Yashiro eagerly led her to the building. Actually, he even held her hand. He thought about the trouble that would happen if she ever got lost inside the establishment. And who would want to get separated with this awfully sexy woman?

Kyoko made no attempts to squirm away from his hold because she knew the reason why he did. Getting lost, however, was impossible for her. Because of all those odd jobs in the past, she practically knows the whole place like the back of her hand.

They made their way through LME. Heads turned and mouths dropped as the actress walked by. They stood gaping at her, too stunned to even move. The men who were chatting freely earlier had stopped and froze in their places as Kyoko cascaded by. Others froze in midstride just to watch her pass. The girls, however, observed her like a disgusting lab rat. Fame has its price, they say.

They took the stairway upstairs. Either Yashiro just got impatient of waiting for the elevator or the auditions were about to finish. It didn't matter to Kyoko anyway. All she thought about was how she'd annihilate all the other contestants.

Gasping, he led her to another hallway. Then, they quickly turned, entering one of the rooms. Kyoko instantly took notice of it all.

The room was alright, not too big, not too cramped. The contestants, consisting of females, were gathered at the right side of the room, nervously chatting with each other. All of them had pretty faces. Too bad looks doesn't matter to the president.

Kyoko's gaze swept around the area until she saw three men seated in front of a long, wooden table at the center of the place. They had their backs to them, not noticing their entrance. All gazes were on the girl on the platform who was playing her flute.

Kyoko considered the girl. She looked like she was around sixteen to eighteen years old and around 5'2 in height. Her golden brown hair swept all over her body, shimmering against the stage lights. When Kyoko squinted to take a better look, she saw that her eyes were of emerald green in color. With her fair complexion to match it all, she seemed awfully gorgeous.

A sweet harmony began to fill Kyoko's ears as the girl continued playing her flute. The girl was pretty talented with the flute. Her fair face was placid, somehow contributing to the soft, melancholic theme of her melody. It was a sad tune yet she managed to make it sound pleasing.

When her playing ended, everyone in the room clapped their hands for her. Even Kyoko. The tune earlier made her recall some precious memories she had shared with her loved ones. The judges clapped louder than the rest, clearly impressed with her remarkable show of talent.

One man stood up. He was the judge in the middle of the other two. "This is the end of the preliminary round. Next -"

"Wait," declared Yashiro as he approached the men. He cleared his throat as if to prepare for a lengthily speech. "I'm sorry for this sudden disturbance but could you allow one more contender? She's a country girl who's here in Tokyo for a visit. She saw the ad for the auditions so she wanted to try out. But, unfortunately, being relatively new to the place, she found herself lost. I happened to bump into her and escort her here."

The three judges looked at each other. The one on the left asked, "Where's the girl?"

As if on cue, Yashiro directly pointed a finger at Kyoko. Everyone's attention turned to her. Their eyes widened as they saw her and, if possible, widened even more as they saw her dress. She made a mental note to buy some decent clothing later on.

Yashiro turned to the judge on the left. "What do you say, Nakano-san? Is it alright or not?"

The man, who Yashiro identified as Nakano, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It wouldn't be fair for the other contestants if we do that. Plus, it's clearly stated on the rules that no late contenders will be entertained. But…" He nodded at the other two judges and they nodded back. He gave both a look of approval. "We can't waste the opportunity to see what this girl can do. We'll let you perform but it has to be good."

Eager to get started, Kyoko nodded in acknowledgement.

"Now, just to be clear, this is what you need to do," Nakano told her, holding a script in one hand. "The role you are auditioning for is a very melancholic and musical girl. She was orphaned at the age of eighteen after her parents got into a horrible vehicular accident. She is the shy and silent type. You will have to act these characteristics out. You need to depict a shy and quiet girl grieving over the pain of losing her parents."

Kyoko was about to reply but Nakano continued. "As I have told you, your role is a girl inclined to sad music. Therefore, in order to pass the auditions you need to demonstrate any musical talent you possess."

Yashiro instantly froze. He looked at the man's hard face then to Kyoko's soft one. Did this country girl know anything about modern music? Moreover, she should have some musical talent. What if she doesn't? Then his dream of always being with her is ruined.

"Are you in for it?" Nakano asked the actress.

Kyoko lowered her head then closed her eyes. She clenched her fists tightly as she tried to concentrate. Her chest heaved as she inhaled and exhaled. For her, acting was second nature. Singing was her other self. To act and sing at the same time… that's a whole new level for her. A whole new challenge to conquer.

"Uhm, are you alright?" they asked her, worried. "If you can't, then -"

Suddenly, she raised her head up, having eye contact with the judge. Nakano twitched as he saw the determined blaze shown in her eyes. Her expression was firm but also exhibited the exquisite softness she had earlier. Her whole body relaxed as she straightened her back, making her curves stand out even more.

Nakano froze in place, gaping at the sudden transformation of the girl._ Is she really a country girl?_ He asked silently. _Nothing in her movements and in her looks gave that sort of conclusion. Plus, she looks unique and more enticing than the other girls in this room. The way she carries herself is astonishing. _The burning feeling he got from her made him realize that she was not just an ordinary Japanese woman. Not at all.

Kyoko gazed at the people in the room. "I'm alright. I won't back down. I'll do it."

Nakano nodded towards the stage, hinting for her to perform. Kyoko smiled as she made her way across the room. At the edge of her view, she saw the girl who played the flute observe her. This action made Kyoko smile even more. The girl had the guts, she'll give her that. But, she also needs to have the discipline to be an actress. Later, when her turn ends, she'll see to that.

Her hips swayed as she climbed on the stage. Once at the center, she faced the audience. Except the flute girl, all the other contestants looked scared and defeated. She almost frowned. Those who don't believe in themselves don't deserve a place in that industry.

"Okay," Nakano said, signaling for her to start. "You may begin."

She muttered a polite thank you to the man. Then she cleared her throat to make sure she wouldn't make any mistakes on the high notes. For a second, she closed her eyes once more. When she opened them, she began to sing softly.

Yashiro's mouth dropped open. The three judges' eyes widened. Completely shocked that this angelic singing voice was coming from a girl raised in the countryside. The other contestants' faces were filled with awe - and jealousy.

As Kyoko got to the chorus of her song, everyone in the area turned their undivided attention to her. And they were, if possible, shocked all the more at the perfect tones and pitches she used. She sung with great feelings and with dignity. Her body swayed with the melody, her arms sweeping around as she sung her heart away. The tears in her eyes added to the impact she left on the audience.

When she had finished, silence enveloped the room. Then, Yashiro applauded, his jaws still hanging open. The judges also started clapping for her. Even the contestants who envied her performance acknowledged her talent.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the flute girl stare at her in frustration. She dropped her flute, glared at her for one more time then hurriedly went out of the room. Only Kyoko seemed to have noticed her leave. The others were too busy gazing at her.

A loud coughing sound silenced them all. Nakano stood up, his eyes still on Kyoko. From the looks of it, she seemed to have totally captured him with her performance. "That was an exquisite performance from…"

"Hime," she told them before they could even ask. "Hime Sawajiri."

"Right, Sawajiri-san." He coughed again. "And, we're pleased to say that we have already chosen someone for the role."

He gestured for the judge on his right to stand up. He did and Nakano, on the other hand, sat down. The man looked at everyone in the room as he said, "The contestant that we have picked is Sawajiri Hime."

The girls furrowed their eyebrows, protesting to the man. "That's not fair! She got here late! We were on time."

The man acted defensively. "She was late, yes. But Yashiro-san here clarified that the reason for her tardiness was not of intention. Therefore, she is still legible to be picked. Besides, she has the talent for it."

All of them continued to protest against the decision. But they knew that they have lost. The girls just grumbled a bit, threw some dirty looks at Kyoko and stormed out of the room. Kyoko smirked at their foolish reactions.

"Sawajiri-san," Nakano spoke up, glancing at the actress. "Your drama will start next week. Your role as Nikki is important although you are only to play support. If you need a copy of the script, just head upstairs and look for director Kira."

Kyoko gently hopped down from the stage. It was probbably a meter high but her martial arts training made her body hard as steel. "Thank you for the approval, Nakano-san. I will definitely work my hardest at the drama."

_I'm sure you will, _Nakano thought, smiling at the actress. "That would be our pleasure, Sawajiri-san."

"I prefer to be called Hime-chan. It's quite cute to hear."

Chuckling, Nakano picked his things up and at the two men to follow him out. "Okay, if that's what you want. I'll be glad to call you Hime-chan. But just to tell you, you still look cute even without the name." And with that, he disappeared from sight.

Yashiro, who had been standing at the side, walked up to her. "That was amazing. I thought you wouldn't be able to do it because, you know, people from the countryside hardly know any modern songs. At least, that's what I have heard."

Thinking up of another excuse, she smiled, "I had a friend back in our place who was inclined to modern music."

The manager nodded. Before he could even speak up, his phone rang. Fumbling with his gloves, he finally put them on, reached into his pockets and took out the device. Several marks on it gave Kyoko the idea that the phone has been broken a lot of times already.

Yashiro pushed a button and pressed the phone against his ear. "Hello?"

"Yashiro," the voice on the other line said. "Where are you?"

"I'm just walking around," he lied. No way will he tell Ren that he's been out with one of his gorgeous fans. "I bumped into someone and I ended up here at Nakano's auditions. You know, that role for director Kira's show."

At the opposite line, Ren nodded. He was at the studio. They had told him to go there for an interview. Now, it was two in the afternoon and still he hasn't eaten. He was used to skipping his meals but this time he could actually feel his body weakening from lack of nutrition. "Hurry up and go back here. My next job is still by the next hour so I can finally eat."

"Did you say eat?" his manager excitedly asked. That means he can set Ren and Kyoko up again. Then he can leave them be and stick with that woman for a while longer. Or… Yashiro grinned as he thought of another plan. "Fine. I'll be there in a moment."

"Okay, I'll wait. But if you get here late, find someone else to drive you home."

He murmured some more words then he turned his phone off. He placed it back in his coat pocket then removed the gloves. Turning to future Kyoko, he asked, "Do you have some more things to take care of, Sawajiri-san?"

Kyoko, a.k.a. Hime Sawajiri, blinked twice. Now what? Was he going to ask her to date him? If she continues to flirt with him, next thing she'll know he would propose to her. "Ah, no. Nothing else except this one."

"Great. Then you can come with me and Ren," he said. "We're going to have some late lunch and if you would like, you can come with."

Meeting with Ren? Suddenly, Kyoko had this sick feeling in her stomach. Facing the person she loved the most after fourteen years is surely stressing. But she knew sooner or later she'll have to talk to the actor if she plans to avoid the accident.

I guess I have no other option to choose from, Kyoko thought, sighing silently. "Sure. I would love to go."

* * *

_Notes: I seem to be inclined with the name 'Hime' 'cause I keep using it in my stories. And by the way, I got Kyoko's new surname from the actress who played Aya in One Liter of Tears (I think). Her name is Erika Sawajiri, as I recall. I'm not sure but I know that I just got the name from a Japanese actress. So, other than that, R&R!_


End file.
